WO1991002934A1

WO1991002934A1 - Arrangement for a storage space

Info

Publication number: WO1991002934A1
Application number: PCT/SE1990/000533
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jerker Andersson
Original assignee: J.A. Design Ab
Priority date: 1989-08-24
Filing date: 1990-08-17
Publication date: 1991-03-07
Also published as: SE464780B; AU6330490A; SE8902812D0; SE8902812L

Abstract

Arrangement for a storage space (2) which exhibits a pivotally articulated openable covering element (3) intended to cover an orifice (5) opening onto the surrounding environment. A compartment (11) being arranged on the inside (10) of the covering element (3). The compartment is closed by a compartment wall (6) separating it from the space (2). Said compartment wall (6) exhibits an extension in a lateral sense such that its outer end does not interfere with one of the lateral boundary walls of the space when the closing element (3) is maintained in the closed position, but comes into contact with said lateral boundary wall or with a device projecting from same when the closing element (3) is maintained in a 'slightly outward-pivoted open position'.

Description

Arrangement for a storage space

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a storage space which exhibits a pivotally articulated openable covering element intended to cover an orifice opening onto the surrounding environment, with a compartment capable of being accommodated within said space being arranged on the inside of the covering element, which compartment is closed by a compartment wall separating it from the space, and also means to permit the free passage of air between the space and the interior of the compartment when the covering element is maintained in the closed position, and to prevent the free passage of air between said space and the compartment when the covering element is maintained in a slightly outward-pivoted open position, in which open position access to the interior of the compartment is permitted from the surrounding environment.

In the case of refrigerators, freezers and other storage cabinets which contain a storage space of the kind indicated above, and in which products, etc. , are so arranged as to be capable of being accommodated for a certain period, at the same time as which they are acted upon by a treatment medium of a desired kind, for example cold air of varying degrees in chilled display cabinets, refrigerators and freezers, and warm air in warming cupboards, problems are encountered in that the treatment medium, for example the air, which is present inside the storage space flows out and is replaced by air from the surrounding environment when a door, for example, or some other covering element for said space is opened. This has a detrimental effect both on the products inside the space and on the operating economy of the refrigerator or freezer, etc. This is particularly true, as will be readily appreciated, in the case of doors which are opened frequently when it is wished repeatedly to replace or remove, for example, milk containers, butter and cheese, etc. , into and from the space.

It has previously been necessary to utilize the technology of a cabinet with double doors, such as that disclosed in US, A, 2,131,680, which relates to a refrigerator which has a double-walled door construction constituted by an outer door and an inner door. Situated between said doors is a space intended to hold frequently-used products, with openings being provided in the inner door for the purpose of admitting cold air from the principal cold space of the refrigerator into the space between the doors. It is thus necessary from the very start, before opening the cabinet, to decide which of the two doors is to be opened fully, and even if only the outer, frequently used door is opened, all the cold air which has managed to enter the space formed inside the door through the openings which admit cold air will flow out into the surrounding air, and the products in the space will rapidly grow warm. Nor does this previously disclosed construction permit the easy modification of existing refrigerators without being obliged to replace the door. Also, the whole of the door space must be used as a frequently used space. US, A, 2,745,259 relates to a refrigerator with a freezer cabinet, which exhibits a door with a valve arrangement in an intermediate freezer door, although this previously disclosed arrangement does not effectively solve said problem either. The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first place, to make available an arrangement which, in a simple and effective manner, solves said problem by simple means.

Said object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, which is characterized essentially in that the compartment extends away from one lateral edge of the closing element with a number of openings discharging in the direction of said lateral edge, and in that said compartment wall exhibits an extension in a lateral sense such that its outer end does not interfere with one of the lateral boundary walls of the space when the closing element is maintained in the closed position, but comes into contact with said lateral boundary wall or with a device projecting from same when the closing element is maintained in a "slightly outward-pivoted open position". The invention is described below as a number of preferred illustrative embodiments, in conjunction with which reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a cabinet with an associated door in a slightly outward-pivoted open position;

Fig. 2 shows the cabinet in cross-section, with the door in a slightly outward-pivoted position;

Fig. 3 shows the cabinet with the door^' fully pivoted . into the open position, with the door mounted on one side of the cabinet;

Fig. 4 shows a cabinet with a door mounted on. the other side of the cabinet;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of a sectioned cabinet with the arrangement in accordance with the invention functioning with the door fully closed;

Fig. 6 similarly shows a schematic view of the cabinet and the associated door and the arrangement in its effective position with the door slightly open;

Figs. 7-8 show alternative modifications of the arrangement in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment;

Fig. 9 shows a second alternative modification of a door with the arrangement;

Figs. 10-11 show perspective view of a further cabinet with the doors open in a position enabling products in the doors of the cabinet which are used very frequently to be reached; Fig. 12 shows a variant with an automatic drinks dispenser arranged on the inside of a door and accessible from the side of the door; and

Fig. 13 shows a cabinet with a door fully pivoted into the open position and exhibiting the construction and function of the cabinet.

In accordance with the present invention an arrangement 1 for a refrigerator, a chilled display cabinet, a freezer, a warming cupboard or some other appropriate storage space 2, which exhibits a pivotally articulated openable covering element 3, which is intended to be capable of covering an orifice 5 opening onto the surrounding environment 4, means 6 which solve earlier problems associated with the undesired exchange of the treatment medium 7, which is intended to be accommodated in the space 2 for the desired treatment of products 8 which are accommodated in the space 2 between the interior 9 of the space and the surrounding environment 4. More specifically there is arranged on the inside 10 of the covering element 3 a compartment 11 capable of being accommodated in said space 2, the number of which compartments can be varied and which exhibit said means 6 to permit the free passage 12 of air between the interior 9 of the space and the internal space 13 of said compartment when the covering element 3 is maintained in the closed position I, as shown in Fig. 5. Said means 6 are also so arranged as to be capable of preventing the free passage of air between said space 2 and compartment 11 when the covering element is maintained in a slightly outward-pivoted open, position II, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, for example. With the closing element 3 in said slightly outward-pivoted open position II, access is provided to the interior 13 of the compartment from the surrounding environment, for example when it is wished to remove from a refrigerator products 8 which are used frequently, such as milk, butter and cheese, etc. Access to the compartment 11 is suitably provided from one side A of the storage space, i.e. opposite the side B on which the covering element 3 is pivotally mounted about associated articulations 14, in which case the compartment 11 or compartments extends away from one lateral edge 3A of the closing element with a number of openings 11A discharging at said lateral edge 3B.

Said compartment 11 is bounded in the upward and downward sense by a lid 15 and by a bottom shelf 16 , which are positioned in such a way as to adopt a position adjacent to the upper and lower wall 17 and 18 of the space when the covering element 3 is maintained in a "closed" position I or in a "slightly open" position II, for the purpose of preventing the free passage of air between the interior 9 of the cabinet space and the surrounding environment 4 of the cabinet 2.

The compartment 11 or compartments is bounded at the hinged side 3A of the closing element by a vertical end wall 19 projecting at right angles from the inside 10 of the element, which wall, as can be appreciated, for example, from Figs. 3 and 4 in the drawings, preferably divides the inside of the closing element 3 into two mutually independent rows of compartments 20, 21.

In order to prevent said undesired free passage of air between the interior 9 of the space and the compartment 11 or compartments, said means may comprise a compartment wall 6 which closes off the compartment 11 or compartments from the space 2 when the element 3 is maintained in a slightly outward-pivoted open position II. This is permitted, for example, in that said inner compartment wall 6 exhibits a lateral extent L such that its outer free end 22 does not interfere with one of the lateral boundary walls 23 of the space when the element

3 is maintained in the "closed position" I, as can be appreciated from Fig. 5, but comes into contact with said lateral boundary wall 23, or with a device projecting from same, when the closing element 3 is maintained in said "slightly outward-pivoted open position" , preferably in a position II in which it is pivoted outwards through about 15°, and in which position products 8 can be removed from or replaced in said compartment 11 provided with an open end wall, without the risk of any cold air or any warm air flowing into or from the space 2 and interfering with its function when handling products 8 which are frequently placed in and removed from the space 2 in question, for example packs of milk, fruit juice, ice cream, cheese and eggs, etc. , which go in and out of refrigerators and freezers, etc.

Said compartment wall 6 extends essentially parallel to the covering element 3 in its effective storage position, and may be pivotally mounted about an articulation 24, on the middle end wall 19, so as to be capable of being pivoted about the articulation 24 into the desired position in which the wall 6 extends from the intended hinge side 3A, 3B of the closing element 3, preferably from the central area of the closing element, so as to permit the simple production of, for example, doors, so that the same door can be hung optionally to the left or to the right.

The present invention has the following novel and unique features: A) the compartment 11, which is suitable for accommodating products which have a high frequency of removal and replacement in a previously disclosed fashion, is so arranged as to extend from one lateral edge 3A of the covering element 3 in question (for example, a refrigerator door), with a number of openings 11A discharging towards said lateral edge; and

B) the compartment 11 is closed and separated from the space 2 by a compartment wall 6, which exhibits a lateral extent L such that its outer free end 22 does not interfere with one of the lateral boundary walls 23 of the space when the element 3 is maintained in the closed position I, but comes into contact with said lateral boundary wall 23, or with a device projecting from same, when the closing element 3 is maintained in a "slightly outward-pivoted open position" II, in which position products can be removed from the compartment without the risk of any cold air being released from the main internal accommodating area of the space.

If it is not fixed, the compartment wall 106 can, as an alternative, be capable of displacement essentially in parallel with the closing element 103, for example in grooves, etc. , in the middle end wall 119 of the element. Further solutions for externally accessible compartments may, for example, consist of cassettes resembling pull-out compartments, for example with the compartment exhibiting an internal fixed wall, through which a number of openings extend as far as the interior of the space, but with the compartment containing a pull- our cassette drawer which, in its withdrawn position when the element is maintained in a "slightly open position", i.e. with the door standing ajar by about 15°, is pulled out from openings in the wall and an end wall which closes against the interior of the compartment provides a seal with the interior of the compartment. It is thus possible, for example without the cold air escaping from, for example, a refrigerator, for the door to stand ajar and for the milk, for example, which is standing in the pull-out compartment to be removed from the pull-out compartment cassette. Other solutions should also be possible within the context of the Patent Claims without departing from the idea of invention, and the invention is thus not restricted to the illustrative examples described above and illustrated in the drawings.

In the case of pivoting doors, for example, it is possible to provide a catch or some other arrangement, the function of which is, for example, to maintain the door in a said "slightly open position" so as to prevent unnecessary opening of the door past said desired position, or for the device to indicate clearly in an appropriate fashion when the door moves past said desired "slightly open position".

Illustrated in Figs. 10-13 are embodiments of cabinets equipped with the subject matter of invention in accordance with the present invention. The cabinets 202 in question are illustrated in the form of combined refrigerator/freezers, although they can also comprise other types of storage space in which the problems outlined above exist and for which it is wished to find a solution. Storage bases 251, 252 capable of displacement laterally 250 along a common plane with the cabinet door 203 in question may be arranged in such a way as to capable of being accommodated on suitable shelves, etc., 253 distributed between the lower and upper bottom shelf 216 and lid 215, which are so arranged as to come into position close to the upper and lower wall 218, 217 of the space, amongst other things for the purpose of preventing the escape of cold air from the interior space 9 of the cabinet when the door 203 is opened fully or partially. Said storage base 251 may be in the form of trough-shaped trays with side and edge supports for products, such as are shown at the top in relation to a refrigerator component, although in order to prevent air from flowing between the intended compartment space 211 at the door 203 and the surrounding environment 204, close-fitting end walls 254 may be arranged at least at that part 252A of the storage base 252 which faces in a direction outwards from the hinge side 203A of the cabinet and an associated door. This means that the cold air, for example, will remain inside the drawer-like compartments 252, which are pulled out to the intended operating position, for example when the freezer door 203 is opened to a small angle sufficiently to permit the compartment drawer to be pulled out from the compartment space 211.

Said compartment drawers 251 can also be provided with covering lids 255, should this be desired. As can be appreciated clearly from Fig. 13, the compartment drawers 2 can exhibit a length X, to which the width B of the door largely corresponds, in which case the door 203 lacks the previously mentioned centrally situated end wall, and a single end wall 256 is arranged at the hinge side 203A of the door 203. Said end wall 256 must, in the event of the door 203 being capable of repositioned for right-hand or left-hand hanging, be capable of being modified so that it can be positioned on the opposite end side of the door if the door 203 cannot simply be inverted.

Guides 257, 258 for the compartment drawers 251, 252 can also be arranged together with end stops 259, for example in the form of grooves, which facilitate the sliding movement of the compartment drawers 251, 252 and form distinct stops at the outer sliding end position C of the drawer 251, for example as shown in Fig. 13.

It is possible, for example, to pull out a desired drawer 251, 252 from a position CCII, when the door 203 is.in a slightly outward-pivoted position, for example as shown in the drawings in Figs. 10-12, and to place it in a desired location outside the cabinet 202, for example on a table, when it is wished to make use of the products 208 contained therein, or when it is to be filled with new products.

Illustrated in Fig. 12 is an example of how an automatic drinks dispenser 256 has been placed in an intended space 211, which could also be covered by an openable end panel. When it is wished to use the automatic dispenser 256, a glass 257 is simply introduced into the space 211 beneath the dispenser, and the glass is filled with the intended drink 258 from the drinks reservoir 259, without the cold air flowing from the interior of the cabinet. The function of an inner compartment wall 206 of the kind intended is the same as in the previously indicated construction in accordance with Figs. 1-9.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. Arrangement for a storage space (2) which exhibits a pivotally articulated openable covering element (3) intended to cover an orifice (5) opening onto the surrounding environment (4), with a compartment (11) capable of being accommodated within said space (2) being arranged on the inside (10) of the covering element (3) , which compartment is closed by a compartment wall (6) separating it from the space (2) , and also means to permit the free passage of air between the space (2) and the interior (13) of the compartment when the covering element (3) is maintained in the closed position (I) , and to prevent the free passage of air between said space (2) and the compartment (11) when the covering element (3) is maintained in a slightly outward-pivoted open position (II) , in which open position (II) access to the interior (13) of the compartment is permitted from the surrounding environment (4) , characterized in tliat the compartment (11) extends away from one lateral edge (3A)- of the closing element with a number of openings (11A) discharging in the direction of said lateral edge (3A) , and in that said compartment wall (6) exhibits an extension (L) in a lateral sense such that its outer end (22) does not interfere with one of the lateral boundary walls (23) of the space when the closing element (3) is maintained in the closed position (I) , but comes into contact with said lateral boundary wall (23) or with a device projecting from same when the closing element (3) is maintained in a "slightly outward-pivoted open position" (II).

2. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized in that the compartment (11) is bounded in the upward and downward sense by a lid (15) and by a shelf (16).

3. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 2, characterized in that the compartment (11) is bounded in the sense of the hinged side (B) by an end wall (19) projecting from the closing element (3).

4. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized in that said compartment wall (6) extends essentially parallel with the closing element (3).

5. Arrangement in accordance with any of the Patent Claims 1-4, characterized in that said compartment wall (6) is pivotally mounted about an articulation (24) , so as to be capable of being pivoted into the desired position extending from the intended hinge side (3A, 3B) of the closing element (3).

6. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 5 , characterized in that the compartment wall (6) extends from the central area ofthe closing element.

7. Arrangement in accordance with any of the aforementioned Patent Claims 1-4 and 6 , characterized in that the compartment wall (106) is capable of displacement essentially in parallel with the closing element (103), for example in a groove, etc.

8. Arrangement in accordance with any of the foregoing Patent Claims 1-4, characterized in that a compartment wall (206) extends along essentially the entire width of a door.

9. Arrangement in accordance with any of the foregoing Patent Claims, characterized in that movable trough-shaped product storage bases (251, 252) are capable of being accommodated internally in said compartment (211).

10. Arrangement in accordance with Patent Claim 9, characterized in that close-fitting end walls (254) are arranged on the storage bases (252).